Protective cover for bicycle and track and field footwear

ABSTRACT

A protective cover for a shoe having cleats including a front end, an opposing rear end, an upper which extends from the front to the rear end, a bottom extending rearwardly from the front end, an approximate midpoint of the cover where the bottom terminates, a cavity formed into the bottom for receiving a cleat disposed on a forward part of the shoe and for receiving an insert configured to engage and contact a cleat of the shoe, where the upper extends around and over a portion of a toe area of the shoe, and where the upper extends from the midpoint rearward around a heel area of the shoe to delimit an opening in the cover adjacent to the bottom and rearward of the midpoint through which a portion of the shoe extends when the cover is worn.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/300,801, filed Feb. 2, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to protective covers for footwear, and more particularly a protective cover for bicycle shoes with cleats and a protective cover for track and field shoes having cleats or spikes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cleated bicycle shoes capable of being securely connected to pedals are widely used to provide a more efficient means for pedaling. These shoes include a cleat disposed at a ball of the foot of the shoe and extending below the sole, where the cleat is configured to selectively engage a retaining feature located on a pedal of a bicycle. A system of this type is desirable because it allows a user to generate force on an upstroke as well as a downstroke of the pedal cycle while pedaling the bicycle.

However, once the user dismounts the bicycle, walking can be difficult and uncomfortable due to the cleat extending from the ball of the shoe. That is, the lift in the forefoot area associated with cleated bicycle shoes can disturb the normal gait pattern. Also, the cleat may lack traction on certain surfaces. Furthermore, the friction and abrasion caused by walking in cleated bicycle shoes causes wear and damage to the cleat, and can significantly reduce the life of cleats and shoes. Moreover, the cleat can scrap floor surfaces and walking with cleats can be noisy. Many cyclists also have bicycles custom aligned after each new cleat purchase, thus adding to replacement costs.

In the area of footwear designed for track and field sports, such footwear typically includes several cleats or spikes disposed at a forefoot portion of the footwear, typically in a ball area of the footwear. Cleated track shoes or track spikes permit runners to gain the necessary traction to make a quick sprint start and maintain good traction during training and races around a track. Unlike cleated shoes for other sports, cleated track shoes have cleats just on the ball area of the shoe and are relative flat in the mid-sole and in the heel area of the shoe. Often, track and field footwear includes threaded holes formed at the forward part of the sole with which the cleats are threadingly engaged by a spike wrench or the like. The cleats on track and field footwear are constantly exposed and thus can be damaged during normal walking. Moreover, on certain surfaces (smooth, wet, etc.), the spikes can result in a loss of traction to the user.

Bicyclists and participants in track and field events have addressed the various disadvantages discussed above by carrying a pair of normal street shoes for use when the bicycle is dismounted or the track and field shoes are not to be worn, even though it is cumbersome to maintain an extra pair of shoes while cycling or participating in track and filed sports. After finishing a race or a training session with cleated track shoes, or between heats, runners will often remove the track spikes in order to protect the shoes and the ground surface. While this can consume valuable time, not doing so can damage the spikes or floor surfaces. In the case of bicycle shoes, there also exist snap on cleat covers which are snapped over the cleats on the bottom of the shoe and used to protect the cleats. However, these snap on cleat covers may fall off and to the inventor's knowledge, are not adapted for use with track and field cleated shoes.

Thus, a device is needed that enhances the traction of cleated bicycling and track and field shoes having cleats or spikes which protects the cleats of the shoes, thereby improving the ease of walking and extending the life of the shoes and their cleats or spikes, all while remaining lightweight and easily transportable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a protective cover for a footwear that has cleats or spikes in the forefoot region thereof, the protective cover comprising: a forefoot portion that has a bottom portion and perimeter side walls, wherein the forefoot portion does not have its bottom portion extend rearwardly to cover a heel of a track shoe; and a heel retention strap that extends rearwardly from the forefoot portion and is adapted to engage with a heel of a track shoe.

The invention provides a protective cover for a bicycle or track and field shoes having cleats or spikes in the forefoot region thereof, the protective cover comprising: a forefoot portion that has a bottom portion, perimeter side walls, and a toe cap, the forefoot portion extending rearwardly only about midway to the shoes sole so as not to cover a heel of the shoe, wherein the bottom portion further includes an anti-penetration layer to help prevent spikes and cleats of the cleated shoe from penetration through the bottom portion; and a heel retention strap that extends rearwardly from the forefoot portion which is adapted to engage with a heel of the cleated shoe, wherein the forefoot portion, and the heel retention strap are formed as a single unit from flexible and stretchable rubber and/or plastic material.

A protective cover for a shoe having cleats, comprising a body member having a forward portion configured to encase a ball of the foot area of the shoe and at least a portion of a toe area of the shoe, the forward portion including an engagement area disposed at an interior of the forward portion of the body member configured to receive and retain a cleat extending from the shoe such that the cleat is covered by at least one of the engagement area and the body member; and a heel portion which extends from the forward portion along a lateral side of the shoe and along a medial side of the shoe and is secured at a heel area at a rear of the shoe, wherein the heel portion delimits an opening in the protective cover which extends through the protective cover at a bottom of the protective cover at a rear of the shoe opposite from the front portion, and wherein the body member is configured to be disposed on the shoe in a position of engagement in which the cleat is received and retained at the engagement area.

The invention further provides a protective cover for a shoe having cleats, the protective cover including a front end, an opposing rear end, an upper which extends from the front towards the rear end, a bottom extending rearwardly from the front end, an approximate midpoint of the cover where the bottom terminates, a cavity formed into the bottom for receiving a cleat disposed on a forward part of the shoe and for receiving an insert configured to engage and contact a cleat of the shoe, where the upper extends around and over a portion of a toe area of the shoe, and where the upper extends from the midpoint rearward around a heel area of the shoe to delimit an opening in the cover adjacent to the bottom and rearward of the midpoint through which the heel of the shoe extends when the protective cover is worn over the cleated shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is top view of an exemplary embodiment of a protective cover for cleated shoes.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the protective cover for cleated shoes thereof.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the protective cover for cleated shoes thereof.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the protective cover for cleated of FIG. 3 engaged with an exemplary cleated shoe.

FIG. 5 is a cross section view thereof through view lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is bottom view of another exemplary embodiment of a protective cover for cleated shoes.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the protective cover for cleated shoes thereof.

FIG. 8 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the protective cover for cleated shoes of FIG. 8 engaged with an exemplary cleated shoe.

FIG. 10 is a cross section view thereof through view lines 10-10 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a top view of exemplary spike/cleat retention material for use in the protective cover for cleated shoes.

FIG. 12 is a side view of another exemplary embodiment of a protective cover for cleated shoes.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view thereof.

FIG. 14 is an opposite side view thereof.

FIG. 15 is a top view thereof.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along axis 16-16 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is a top view of an insert of the protective cover of FIG. 12.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view of the insert of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the protective cover taken along axis 19-19 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 20 is a top view of the protective cover of FIG. 12 worn on a cleated shoe.

FIG. 21 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 22 is a bottom view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-5 show an exemplary embodiment of a first exemplary embodiment of a cleat protector for cleated bicycle shoes and for spiked track and field shoes 10. FIG. 1 being a top view, FIG. 2 being a bottom view, and FIG. 3 being a side view of the protective cover for cleated bicycle shoes and for spiked track and field shoes 10. FIG. 4 is a side view and FIG. 5 is a cross section view thereof through view lines 5-5 of FIG. 1. The cleat protector 10 includes a forefoot portion 12, an opposing heel retention strap 14, and a bottom portion 16 preferably having treads 18 formed thereon for traction. The bottom portion 16 can be convexly shaped to accommodate spiked track shoes. For cleated bicycle shoes, the bottom can be flat. The forefoot portion 12 has an interior inside lower surface 20, and upwardly rising perimeter walls 22 and a toe cap 24 that extend upwardly and rearwardly from the bottom portion 16. The toe cap 24 preferably has a generally horizontal portion 26 that can capture the frontmost portion T of a cleated track or bicycle shoe S. The heel retention strap 14 does not fully encase the shoe's heel H, and the bottom portion 16 stops short of extending all the way to the shoe's heel, and stops about mid-shoe at a trailing edge 30, which is shown as being curved, but which may have other contours. The heel retention strap 14 can conveniently be a rearwardly extending extension of the perimeter walls 22 and/or part of the bottom portion 16, that will extend along the lateral side of the cleated shoe S, around the back of the high-heel/Achilles area H and contact therewith in area 50, and then extend forward along the medial side to join the forefoot portion 12. In this way, the outer sole OS of the heel of the cleated track shoe or cleated bicycle shoe S, which does not have any spikes or cleats, remains uncovered when the cleat protector 10 is worn.

The bottom portion 16 and particularly the interior inside lower surface 20 of the bottom portion 16, may include contouring 28 to facilitate receipt and retention of the cleat system, e.g., cleats or spikes, at the bottom of the respective cleated track shoe or cleated bicycle shoe S. For example, the contouring 28 may comprise a series of raised and lowered areas, such as a waffle pattern (such as shown in FIG. 11), a series of raised nubs or projections, etc.

The heel retention strap 14 which extends to the rear end 50 does not fully encase the heel H of the shoe S. That is, the heel retention strap 14 preferably comprises of continuous strip of material extending rearwardly from the upper portion 22, along the lateral side of the foot, around the back of the high-heel/Achilles area, and then forward along the medial side where it rejoins the upper portion 22. In this way, the heel H of the shoe S and most regions of the footwear behind the approximate midpoint 30 of the bottom portion 16 of the protective cover 10 remain uncovered when the protective cover 10 is worn. That is, the heel retention strap 14 which extends around the heel area delimits an opening 36 which generally extends from the approximate midpoint 30 of the bottom portion 16 to the rear end 50. When the protective cover 10 is worn, the heel of the shoe extends into and through this opening 36 so as to contact the ground during walking.

As shown in FIG. 4, in use of the cleat protector 10, the forefoot portion 12 is pulled over the toe area T of the cleated track or bicycle shoe S and then the heel retention strap 14 is stretched and extended rearwardly into a secure position over the high-heel/Achilles area H of the cleated shoe S. As worn, the heel retention strap 14 will ride on the heel counter H of the shoe S, and the outer sole OS in the heel area will be revealed and available to walk on. The cleat protector 10 is removed by first disengaging the rearward portion 50 of the heel retention strap 14 from the heel H and then sliding the forefoot portion 12 from the front of the shoe, or alternately by pulling the forefoot portion 12 off of the front of the shoe and then releasing the heel retention strap 14 from the heel H of the cleated shoe S.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through view lines 5-5 of FIG. 1. In order to help prevent the cleats or spikes from penetrating through the bottom portion 16, a layer of anti-penetration material 46, such as fibrous mesh formed of spun glass or synthetic fibers, e.g., para-aramid synthetic fiber (Kevlar®), or a layer of hard material, such as a hard rubber, plastic, leather, metal, etc., can be located below the cushioning or waffled material 40. A cavity 48 can be formed therein into which the layer of anti-penetration material 46 is adhered to the bottom of the cavity 48, with the cushioning or waffled material 40 adhered to the top of the layer of anti-penetration material 46. Alternatively, the layer of anti-penetration material 46 can be molded directly together with the bottom portion 16. Furthermore, if desired, the layer of cushioning or waffled material 40 can be molded directly on the bottom portion 16 to face up and be available to contact with the spikes or cleats of the cleated shoe. As best shown in FIG. 5, the interior inside lower surface 20 can include of a layer of spike/cleat retention material 40, which can comprise cushioning, ridged, or waffled material, materials with protrusions, and can be formed of materials such as plastic or rubber to help capture the spikes and better secure the cleated shoe in place. The forefoot portion 12, the heel retention strap 14, and the bottom portion 16 can be formed as a single unit out of resilient stretchable rubber or plastic material in order to accommodate a range of sizes and styles of track shoes or cleated bicycle shoe by the forefoot portion 12 being able to stretch heightwise, widthwise and a preferably somewhat lengthwise, while the heel retention strap 14 with a rearmost loop region 50 will be provide for longitudinal stretchability to accommodate lengthwise adjustability of the cleat protector 10 to a range of shoe sizes. For example, due the design, the cleat protector 10 can come in small, medium and large to accommodate a wide range of cleated track shoe sizes and styles. As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the heel strap can have a wider rear end 50 that narrows as it get closer to forefoot portion 12.

FIGS. 6-10 show an exemplary embodiment of another exemplary embodiment of a cleat protector 100 for cleated shoes. The cleat protector 100 includes a forefoot portion 112, an opposing heel retention strap 114, and a bottom portion 116 preferably having treads 118 formed thereon for traction. The bottom portion 116 can be convexly shaped to accommodate spiked track shoes or flattened for cleated bicycle shoes. The forefoot portion 112 has an interior inside lower surface 120, and upwardly rising perimeter walls 122 and a toe cap 124 that extend upwardly and rearwardly from a bottom 116. The toe cap 124 preferably has a generally horizontal portion 126 that can capture the frontmost portion T of a cleated shoe S. The heel retention strap 114 does not fully encase the shoe's heel H, and the bottom portion 116 stops short of extending all the way to the shoe's heel, and stops about mid-shoe at a trailing edge 130 of the bottom 116, which is shown as being straight, but which may have other contours. The heel retention strap 114 can preferably be a rearwardly extending extension of the perimeter walls 122 that will extend along the lateral side of the cleated shoe S, around the back of the high-heel/Achilles area H at the rearmost end 152, and then extend forward along the medial side to join the forefoot portion 112. The rear retention strap 114 can preferably narrow in its width and/or become thinner from its junction 150 with perimeter walls 122 to its rearmost end 152 so that there is greater stretchability extending rearwardly. In this way, the lower portion of the heel H of the cleated shoe S, which generally does not have any spikes or cleats, remains uncovered when the cleat protector 100 is worn. The trailing portion 130 wherein it joins the perimeter walls 122 will preferably have sufficient volume that it, along with perimeter walls, forms an anchor such that pulling on the rear retention strap 114 does little to distort the shape or dimensions of the toe box portion 112 and its bottom portion 116.

The bottom portion 116 and particularly the interior of the bottom portion 116, may include a cavity 154 to facilitate receipt and retention of the cleat system, e.g., cleats or spikes, at the bottom of the respective shoe. In addition, as best shown in FIG. 10, the inside lower surface 120 can include of a layer of cushioning, ridged, or waffled material 140, such as plastic or rubber to help capture the spikes and better secure the cleated shoe in place. The forefoot portion 112, the heel retention strap 114, and the bottom portion 116 can be formed as a single unit out of resilient stretchable rubber or plastic material in order to accommodate a range of sizes and styles of track shoes by the forefoot portion 112 being able to stretch heightwise, widthwise and a preferably somewhat lengthwise, while the heel retention strap 114 will be stretchable longitudinally to provide for lengthwise adjustability of the cleat protector for track shoe 100.

The heel retention strap 114 which extends to the rear end 152 does not fully encase the heel H of the shoe S. That is, the heel retention strap 114 preferably comprises of continuous strip of material extending rearwardly from the upper portion 122, along the lateral side of the foot, around the back of the high-heel/Achilles area, and then forward along the medial side where it rejoins the upper portion 122. In this way, the heel H of the shoe S and most regions of the footwear behind the approximate midpoint 130 of the bottom portion 116 of the protective cover 100 remain uncovered when the protective cover 100 is worn. That is, the heel retention strap 114 which extends around the heel area delimits an opening 136 which generally extends from the approximate midpoint 130 of the bottom portion 116 to the rear end 152. When the protective cover 100 is worn, the heel of the shoe extends into and through this opening 136 so as to contact the ground during walking.

As shown in FIG. 10, which is a cross-sectional view through view lines 10-10 of FIG. 6, to prevent the cleats or spikes from penetrating through the bottom portion 116, a layer of anti-penetration material 146, such as fibrous mesh formed of spun glass or synthetic fibers, e.g., para-aramid synthetic fiber (Kevlar®), or a layer of hard material, such as a hard rubber, plastic, leather, metal, etc., can be located below the cushioning or waffled material 40. A cavity 148 can be formed therein into which the layer of anti-penetration material 146 is adhered to the bottom of the cavity 148, with the cushioning or waffled material 140 adhered to the top of the layer of anti-penetration material 146. Alternatively, the layer of anti-penetration material 146 can be molded directly together with the bottom portion 116. Furthermore, if desired, the layer of cushioning or waffled material 140 can be molded directly on the bottom portion 16 to face up and be available to contact with the spikes or cleats of the cleated shoe.

As shown in FIG. 9, in use of the cleat protector 100, the forefoot portion 112 is pulled over the toe area T of the cleated shoe S and then the heel retention strap 114 is stretched and extended rearwardly into a secure position with its rearmost portion 152 lying over the high-heel/Achilles area H of the cleated shoe S. As worn, the heel retention strap 114 will ride on the heel counter H of the shoe, and the outer sole OS in the heel area will be revealed and available to walk on. The cleat protector 100 is removed by first disengaging the heel retention strap 114 from the heel H and then sliding the forefoot portion 112 from the front of the shoe, or alternately by pulling the forefoot portion 112 off of the front of the shoe and then releasing the heel retention strap 114 from the heel H of the cleated track shoe S or cleated bicycle shoe.

FIG. 11 is a top view of exemplary spike/cleat retention material 40 for use in the protective covers 10 and 100. As shown, the spike/cleat retention material 40 can be provided in a waffle pattern, with a patterns of raised areas 60 and lowered areas 62. The spikes or cleats will sink into the spike/cleat retention material 40 and the pattern of raised 60 and lowered areas 62 will help prevent the cleated shoe from shifting around relative to the protective covers 10 and 100. While a waffled pattern is shown, other patterns can be used.

In the cleat protectors 10 and 100, the heel retention straps 14 and 114, respectively, are shown as a continuous strap that is connected to the forefoot portion 12 and 112. In lieu of being continuous, however, the heel retention straps 14 and 114 can comprise two straps that detachably attach together (not shown), e.g., with hook and loop fasteners, clips, buckles, snaps, etc., or any other attachment means.

A protective cover for a footwear with cleats. FIGS. 12-19 show various views of another exemplary embodiment of a protective cover 200 for footwear with cleats that both enhances traction of the footwear and protects a cleat area of the footwear from damage. The protective cover 200 generally encases the lower portion of a corresponding footwear, or shoe, to provide protection to the underlying cleat system during contact with the ground and also to provide enhanced traction and comfort to the wearer. The footwear can be shoes for track and field having spikes or cleats extending downwardly from the forefoot portion thereof, or cleated bicycle shoes that have a cleat extended downwardly from a bottom of the forefoot portion of the sole. The protective cover 200 has a forward end 212, an opposing rear end 214, a bottom portion 216, an upper portion 218, and a heel strap 230 that extends rearwardly from about the middle of the upper portion 218 to the opposing rear end 214. The heel strap 230 is preferably integrally formed together with the upper portion 218. At the forward end 212 the upper portion 218 comprises a toe cap portion 232 that wraps at least partially over a front of a toe area of the corresponding shoe (shown in FIG. 19-22) and also extends upward and over a portion of a top of the toe area. At the rear end 214 a pull tab 260 extends upwardly from the opposing rear end 214 of the retention strap. The pull tab 260 can be used to help a user put on and take off the protective cover 200. The heel strap 230 wraps around a heel area of the shoe and extends upwardly thereon. The bottom portion 216 extends continuously from the forward end 212, across a ball of the foot area, to an approximate midpoint 220 of the bottom portion 216 of the protective cover 200, where the bottom 216 terminates. This is best seen at FIG. 13. The bottom portion 216 includes treads 222 on an underside thereof to provide enhanced traction to the wearer. As will be discussed herein further in detail, the bottom portion 216 may include certain contouring on an upper surface thereof such that the bottom portion 216 is specifically configured to engage the cleat system of the cleated shoe. The contouring can, for example, comprise a cavity 228 as shown in FIGS. 16 and 19 (but without an insert 228 placed therein) that is sized and shaped to receive the cleat on the bottom of the cleated bicycle shoe. The upper portion 218 is configured to extend on medial and lateral sides of the shoe in the forefoot portion of the shoe and extends from the forward end 212 to the approximate midpoint 220 of the bottom portion 216 of the protective cover 210. The heel strap 230 which is preferably integrally formed together with the upper portion 218 extends to the rear end 214. The upper portion 218 extends at least partially up the lateral and medial sides from the bottom 216 in a ball portion of the protective cover 200.

The heel strap 230 which extends to the rear end 214 does not fully encase the heel of the shoe. That is, the heel strap 230 preferably comprises of continuous strip of material extending rearwardly from the upper portion 218, along the lateral side of the foot, around the back of the high-heel/Achilles area, and then forward along the medial side where it rejoins the upper portion 18. In this way, the heel of the shoe and most regions of the footwear behind the approximate midpoint 220 of the bottom portion 216 of the footwear cover 200 remain uncovered when the protective cover 200 is worn. That is, the heel strap 230 which extends around the heel area delimits an opening 224 which generally extends from the approximate midpoint 220 of the bottom portion 216 to the rear end 214. When the protective cover 10 is worn, the heel of the shoe extends into and through this opening 224 so as to contact the ground during walking.

In use, the front end 212 and toe cap portion 232 of the upper portion 218 is pulled over the toe area of the corresponding shoe and then the heel strap 230 is stretched and extended rearwardly into a secure position over the high-heel/Achilles area of the foot. The protector 200 is removed simply by disengaging either the front end 212 or the heel strap 230 and then sliding the remaining end off of the shoe.

As shown in FIGS. 15-19, the protective cover 200 further includes an insert 226 disposed at an interior of the protective cover 200 proximate to the forward end 212. The insert 226 is disposed in a cavity 228 formed into the bottom 216 of the protective cover 200. The cavity 228 corresponds in size and shape to that of the insert 226. The cavity 228 extends essentially from the forward end 212 in a direction toward the midpoint 220. The cavity terminates at an area 234 near the midpoint 220. The insert 226 is disposed in the cavity 228 and is retained therein by any of a variety of techniques including friction fit, snap fit, adhesives, welding, etc. The insert 226 can preferably be formed of puncture resistant material, such as stiff foam material. In order to prevent the shoe from shifting around, the insert can preferably be textured, such as having high and low areas, for example a waffle pattern, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. While a waffle pattern is shown, the insert can be without a pattern or can have other patterns (not shown). For use with cleated bicycle shoes, the insert 226 can be sized and shaped and made of pliable enough material that when a bicycle shoe is engaged with protective cover 200 the cleat on the bottom of the bicycle shoe will sink into the insert 226 and be retained there.

When the insert 226 is disposed in the cavity 228, the protective cover is suitable for use with a shoe having smaller or mid-sized cleats, such as a track and field shoe 250 as shown in FIGS. 20-22. The track and field shoe 250 includes cleats (not shown) disposed on a sole 252 at a front end 254 thereof. The shoe 250 may or may not include additional cleats at a rear 256 of the sole 252, opposite from the front 254. As shown in the drawings, the shoe 250 does not include any such rear cleats. When the protective cover 200 is worn on the track and field shoe 250, the cleats engage the insert 226 at the forward end 212 of the protective cover 200. The insert 226 may be formed of a compressible material which deflects and compresses when contacted by the cleats, thus at least partially receiving the cleats into the material forming the insert 226. Alternatively, the insert can be made of a more rigid and puncture resistant material, such as stiff foam, configured to engage and support the cleats without compressing and receiving the cleats. In order to prevent the shoe from shifting around, the insert can preferably be textured, such as having high and low areas, for example a waffle pattern, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. While a waffle pattern is shown, the insert can be without a pattern or can have other patterns (not shown).

The protective cover 200, as applied to the track and field shoe 250 of FIGS. 20-22, provides protection to the underlying cleats during walking by the user. That is, the cleats are prevented from contacting the ground when the protective cover 200 is worn over the shoe 50. Thus, the protective cover 200 absorbs wear and tear normally reserved for the cleats. Further, the bottom portion 216 of the protective cover 200 provides the user with increased traction while walking because the cleats, which are often made of a slick material such as plastic, do not directly contact the ground. Furthermore, the protective cover 200 provides enhanced comfort to the wearer namely because the weight and pressure which is normally applied exclusively to the cleats during walking is now distributed through the insert and across the bottom 216 of the protective cover 200. Accordingly, the downward forces exerted during walking is not applied on the cleats alone, but instead is borne by the entire bottom 16 of the protective cover 10, therefore lending to overall comfort.

In another configuration, the insert 26 is configured to be removed from the bottom 16 of the protective cover 200 and the cavity 28 is exposed to receive larger cleats of certain shoes. For example, the cavity 228 is configured to receive the large cleat of a bicyclist shoe (not shown). As discussed, this type of bicyclist shoe includes one or more pronounced cleats extending from a forward portion of a sole of the bicycle shoe near an area which would correspond to a ball of the foot of a wearer. The cavity 228 is formed into the bottom 216 of the protective cover 200 and is open to an interior of the protective cover 200 such that when the forward end of the bicyclist shoe is inserted into the interior of the protective cover 200 proximate to the forward end 212, the cleat extending from the bottom of the shoe is inserted into and received within the cavity 228. The cleat may simply be received within the cavity 228 or, alternatively, the cleat may be received in the cavity 228 and releasably retained therein. This releasable retention may be effected by the cavity 228 being sized slightly smaller than the cleat such that the areas of the bottom portion 216 of the protective cover 200 which delimit the cavity 228 are required to stretch over and around the cleat when the protective cover 200 is worn, or the bottom portion 216 of the protective cover 200 may include a snap feature for engaging edges or other features of the bicyclist cleat.

In one embodiment, the cavity 228 extends less than all of a length of the bottom 216 of the protective cover 200. As such, the bottom portion 216 has a first thickness 216A in the area of the cavity 228 and a second thickness 216B in an area outside of the cavity 228, where the second thickness 216B is greater than the first thickness 216A. See FIG. 16. This configuration allows for the cleat to be received within the cavity 228 as discussed and also allows for the thicker portion 216B of the bottom 216 to carry some of the downward force during walking. That is, this downward force is not borne by the cleat alone during walking, but is distributed across the cleat, the thinner area 216A, and the thicker areas 216B of the bottom 216, thus resulting in enhanced comfort to the wearer and also facilitating in a more normal walking gait with reduced interference by the cleat. In other words, the exemplary cavity 228 is sized to receive the cleat nearly in its entirety. That is the depth of the cavity 228 into the bottom 216 of the protective cover 200 corresponds to the length that the cleat extends from the respective cyclist shoe. The length and width of the cavity also correspond to those dimensions of the cleat. As such, the cleat and the areas of greater thickness 216B of the sole 216 form a continuous walking surface which has a surface area greater than the cleat alone. In this way, the protective cover 200 eases walking by distributing the downward force and brings enhanced comfort to the wearer.

The insert 226 is composed of any desired material suitable for a particular application. For example, the insert 226 may be formed of poly paraphenylene terephthalamide (i.e., Kevlar®) or a hard density ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). In another embodiment, the insert 226 may be formed of a natural material, such as a tanned leather. The insert 226 may be formed homogenously of a particular material, or may be formed as a composite of multiple materials.

The remaining portions of the protective cover 200, including the front end 212, retention strap 230, bottom portion 216, and the upper portion 218, may also be composed of any material sufficient for a particular application. For example, these portions of the protective cover 200 may be formed of a thermoset and/or thermoplastic elastomer and/or a polymeric material, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the protective cover 200 is constructed of an elastic material, or at least the retention strap 230 which extends from the midpoint 220 around the heel area is elastic and flexible, to facilitate donning and removing the protective cover 200 from the shoe.

The protective covers 10, 100, and 200 discussed herein can be constructed in various thicknesses and of any desired material capable of producing the stated results. The protective covers 10, 100, and 200 need not be made of a single type of material. The protective covers 10, 100, and 200 may comprise a plurality of different materials. For example, the front end may be composed of a neoprene material and the rear end may be composed of a rubber. The protective covers 10, 100, and 200 need not be one integral piece but can be composed of multiple pieces adhered or bonded together. The protective covers 10, 100, and 200 could comprise any number of pieces and configurations allowing the device as a whole to function as intended.

Moreover, the protective covers 10, 100, and 200 discussed herein may have the puncture resistant insert located in the bottom of the protective cover with the material forming the sole molded around the puncture resistant insert. In such case, the protective covers can have a cleat retention layer positioned on the material of the protective cover (e.g., flexible rubber or plastic) above the puncture resistant insert.

The illustrated exemplary embodiments have been directed thus far toward cyclist cleated shoes having a large dominant cleat on the bottom of the shoe toward the forefoot area and track and field shoes have one or more smaller cleats located at a forward portion of the shoe. Of course, the broad scope of the invention contemplates applying the disclosed cleat protector to other types of cleated shoes such as, for example, football cleats, baseball cleats, golf shoes, etc.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and variations can be made to the present apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the various embodiments have been described by way of illustration and not limitation. 

1. A protective cover for a footwear that has cleats or spikes in the forefoot region thereof, the protective cover comprising: a forefoot portion that has a bottom portion and perimeter side walls, wherein the forefoot portion does not have its bottom portion extend rearwardly to cover a heel of a shoe; and a heel retention strap that extends rearwardly from the forefoot portion and is adapted to engage with a heel of the shoe.
 2. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 1, wherein the forefoot portion further comprises a toe cap at a front thereof.
 3. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion further comprises anti-penetration material to help prevent spikes and cleats of the shoe from penetration through the bottom portion.
 4. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 3, wherein the anti-penetration material is at least one of fibrous mesh formed of spun glass, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastic, leather, and metal.
 5. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion further comprises cleat/spike retention material to help stabilize the position of the shoes in the forefoot portion of the protective cover.
 6. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion further comprises a layer of spike/cleat retention material and a layer of anti-penetration material below a layer of spike/cleat retention material which is located above a lower layer of the bottom portion.
 7. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 3, wherein the anti-penetration material is molded into a sole of the forefoot portion.
 8. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 1, wherein the forefoot portion, and the heel retention strap is formed as a single unit from flexible and stretchable rubber and/or plastic material.
 9. A protective cover for a bicycle or track and field shoes having cleats or spikes in the forefoot region thereof, the protective cover comprising: a forefoot portion that has a bottom portion, perimeter side walls, and a toe cap, the forefoot portion extending rearwardly only about midway to the shoes sole so as not to cover a heel of the shoe, wherein the bottom portion further includes an anti-penetration layer to help prevent spikes and cleats of the cleated shoe from penetration through the bottom portion; and a heel retention strap that extends rearwardly from the forefoot portion which is adapted to engage with a heel of the cleated shoe, wherein the forefoot portion, and the heel retention strap are formed as a single unit from flexible and stretchable rubber and/or plastic material.
 10. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 9, wherein the anti-penetration layer comprises fibrous mesh formed of at least one of spun glass, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastic, leather, and metal.
 11. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 10, wherein the bottom portion further comprises a layer of cleat/spike retention material positioned above the anti-penetration layer to help stabilize the position of the track shoes in the forefoot portion of the protective cover.
 12. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 10, wherein the anti-penetration material is molded into a sole of the forefoot portion.
 13. A protective cover for a shoe having cleats, comprising: a body member having a forward portion configured to encase a ball of the foot area of the shoe and at least a portion of a toe area of the shoe, the forward portion including an engagement area disposed at an interior of the forward portion of the body member configured to receive and retain a cleat extending from the shoe such that the cleat is covered by at least one of the engagement area and the body member; and a heel portion which extends from the forward portion along a lateral side of the shoe and along a medial side of the shoe and is secured at a heel area at a rear of the shoe, wherein the heel portion delimits an opening in the protective cover which extends through the protective cover at a bottom of the protective cover at a rear of the shoe opposite from the front portion, and wherein the body member is configured to be disposed on the shoe in a position of engagement in which the cleat is received and retained at the engagement area.
 14. The protective cover of claim 13, wherein the body member includes a bottom which extends continuously from a front of the body member to a midpoint of the protective cover.
 15. The protective cover of claim 13, further comprising contouring disposed at the engagement area on the bottom at the interior configured to receive and retain the cleat.
 16. The protective cover of claim 15, wherein the engagement area comprises a cavity formed into the bottom of the cover that is open to the interior of the cover.
 17. A protective cover for a shoe having cleats, comprising: a front end; an opposing rear end; an upper which extends from the front to the rear end; a bottom extending rearwardly from the front end; an approximate midpoint of the cover where the bottom terminates; a cavity formed into the bottom for receiving a cleat disposed on a forward part of the shoe and for receiving an insert configured to engage and contact a cleat of the shoe; wherein the upper extends around and over a portion of a toe area of the shoe; and wherein the upper extends from the midpoint rearward around a heel area of the shoe to delimit an opening in the cover adjacent to the bottom and rearward of the midpoint through which a portion of the shoe extends when the cover is worn.
 18. The protective cover for a shoe having cleats of claim 17, wherein the insert comprises anti-penetration material to help prevent spikes and cleats of the shoe from penetration through the bottom portion.
 19. The protective cover for a shoe having cleats of 18, wherein the anti-penetration material is at least one of fibrous mesh formed of spun glass, synthetic fibers, rubber, plastic, leather, and metal.
 20. The protective cover for footwear that has cleats or spikes of claim 17, wherein the bottom portion further comprises cleat/spike retention material to help stabilize the position of the shoes in the forefoot portion of the protective cover. 